


Talk Forceful

by sandymg



Series: Talk Series [3]
Category: CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: J-Squared, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-15
Updated: 2012-09-15
Packaged: 2017-11-14 07:25:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/512779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandymg/pseuds/sandymg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared and Jensen go on their first date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talk Forceful

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 of the Talk Verse
> 
> Disclaimer: This is fiction. No harm intended. No profit made.

Jared is a force. Not quite like The Force. But given that Jensen is sitting in a restaurant on an honest-to-goodness date ... maybe Jared could control the universe.

“Jensen?”

Jensen looks up suddenly. “Yes?”

The twinkle in Jared’s eyes makes Jensen blink. “You with me? I know my life story isn’t much. But I was hoping I could avoid you falling asleep into your soup.”

“No. No. You are interesting. And … “ Jensen looks down with a confused stare. “This isn’t soup.”

Jared chuckles softly. “No, it’s not.”

Jensen meets his _date’s_ eyes again. “You are teasing me?”

A warm, huge hand wraps around his wrist squeezing a moment before letting go. Jensen stares at where he’s been touched. Jared keeps doing that. Touching him. It is odd. He isn’t used to it. Too many years spent alone.

Jared is looking at him with an amused gaze. He seems to be waiting for Jensen to say something. Is it Jensen’s turn to speak? He never did get the hang of the back and forth of talking. It was easier on the phone. Honestly, mostly he listened on the phone. Jared is a talker. But when it got silent he knew he was supposed to fill in the blank. Say something. And it was easier when he was safe in his apartment. Surrounded by the familiar.

Not that he felt particularly threatened by this restaurant. Jared had chosen it precisely because it was quiet and informal. Like he knew Jensen could relax here. But how could Jared had known that? They really barely knew each other.

“The Force is loosely based on endosymbiotic theory.”

“Huh?”

Oh. That was a remarkably stupid thing to blurt out. Jensen blushes. “I … I was th-thinking about The Force. You know? From Star Wars?”

“My summer camp story made you think of that?”

“You were twelve.”

Jared’s head tilts slightly. “So?”

“That was the year the-film-that-won’t-be-named came out.”

Jensen watches as Jared works it out. “You mean The Phantom—“

“We agreed never to speak of that abomination, Jay.”

Jared’s laugh seems loud in the relative quiet surrounding them. But it’s familiar and Jensen likes it. He doesn’t remember ever liking a laugh before.

After a minute Jared continues, “So do you want to hear about how Camp Chestnut changed my life or not?”

Jensen nods encouragingly.

“His name was Peter. He was a CIT.” At Jensen’s puzzled look Jared explains. “A counselor in training.”

Jensen starts blushing before Jared can say anything further. Jared notices. “Should I stop?”

“What? No.” Jensen hates himself. Hates how easily he gets flustered and embarrassed. He’s not completely inexperienced. But that thought isn’t calming him. Kinda the opposite. His breathing is speeding up.

“Jensen?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s endosym … whatchamacallit?”

“Endosymbiosis?”

Jared smiles, dimples and all. “Yeah. And what does it have to do with George Lucas?”

“It’s a mutually beneficial relationship between organisms.”

“Is that what he meant by The Force?”

“No. Not exactly. The Force is this energy that binds everything. But not everyone has equal access. The Jedi are able to garner that energy through midichlorians. Those are microscopic organisms that let them communicate with The Force, with each other. I read that Lucas based those organisms on the endosymbiotic theory. It involves organisms existing within each other for the greater good, with one being the host and one being the dependent.”

Jensen feels his face flush. He could be describing himself and Jared. No question which of them is dependent. In school a professor once described the host cell as ‘boss.’ But that’s not … Jared isn’t like that. He takes a deep breath. “D-did you and Peter … ?”

Jared blinks and seems surprised. “No. Not at all. It was just a crush. Completely unrequited. I was only twelve, dude.” Jared gets a thoughtful look. “Did you think I was about to describe a sexual exploit?”

“No. I m-mean … well … I guess … “

“Hey. Relax. I’d never make you talk about anything that made you uncomfortable.”

“I know.” And he did know that. There had been times on the phone when Jensen couldn’t talk about something and Jared had never pushed.

Just then as if thinking about a phone brought it to life, Jensen’s cell phone vibrates in his pocket and he pulls it out to check the ID. His father. Dammit. If he doesn’t pick up he’ll just keep calling and get worried. Jensen is shaking now because he doesn’t know what to do. Even he knew enough about social behavior to know it’s wrong to take a phone call during dinner. During a first date.

“It’s okay, Jen. You can answer it if you wish.”

Jensen shoots Jared a grateful look. “Hi Dad.”

Jared is watching him and Jensen feels the color creeping up his face. “Everyth-thing’s fine. I … I’m grocery shopping.” Jensen spins his body, can’t possibly face Jared as he lies in front of him. He’s twenty-eight years old. And he’s acting like a child. But his father … he didn’t explain to him yet. Isn’t ready. _Fuck_.

“G-gotta pay now. Need both hands. Um … I’ll call tomorrow, okay?”

His dad asks again if anything is up. Nobody knows him better. The stuttering is giving him away. He doesn’t do it with Dad normally. Just those he doesn’t know very well. Which is pretty much everyone else in the world. Except he’d stopped stuttering with Jared when talking on the phone. Now it was back.

“Hard assignment. Nothing to worry over. I’ll get it. … Yeah. I know, it’s important and MIT will still be there. Dad, really I gotta go.”

He hangs up with a quick goodbye and knows he’d best call his father tomorrow and manage to keep himself together or he’d be getting a visit soon. In person his father would see right through him.

Into the lingering silence Jared asks quietly, “Everything okay?”

Jensen feels the chill. Jared’s voice has an unnatural edge.

“It … it’s not … “ Jared is looking at him and his eyes are cloaked and Jensen feels his heart skip. “I’m s-sorry,” he blurts out.

Jared pushes his plate slightly away and looks down. “No, hey, I get it. You … you’re … an’ I was helping guys jerk off up until a few weeks ago. Guess your father would think you could do way better.”

Jensen swallows hard and fights the pinpricks stabbing behind his eyes. Bitterness did not sound good coming from Jared. His voice, normally boisterous to the point of giddy took on this deep, harsh edge. It cut, like a whip slicing the air with a crack. Jensen sucks in air. It’s all falling apart before even starting. Two … three … five … seven … but even this old trick isn’t helping.

“Y-you d-don’t under… understand.”

Jared opens his wallet and leaves money on the table. “I think I do. You don’t want your father to know you even met me, let alone are dating me.” Jensen sees Jared struggling with himself. Sees emotions swirl inside his beautiful eyes. “C’mon, Jensen, I’ll take you home.”

Home. Safe and quiet and nobody there. Nobody expecting anything. Nobody sitting here looking disappointed at him. Nobody making him talk.

Jensen looks up. Studies Jared again. It’s more than disappointment. He’s hurt. Jensen’s hand reaches out and grabs Jared’s wrist more forcefully than he’s ever remembered touching anyone before.

“No. You don’t understand.” Jared looks at him sharply. But he doesn’t pull away. “My father is v-very protective of me. He worries. There have been … I tried dating before. It didn’t … “ The bravery is fading and he can’t continue, can’t talk about this. “I … I will tell him about you. I want him to meet you. That is … if you want that.”

Jared’s eyes are locked with his, they look molten in the restaurant’s dim lighting. “Peter was sixteen, four years older than me. And not once did he let on that he knew I liked him. Even though I probably made it pretty obvious. He was a nice guy. I’ve been … lucky in that way. With very few exceptions there have been nice people in my life.” Jared pauses and his hand wriggles and that’s when Jensen realizes he hasn’t let go of Jared’s arm.

He drops it but Jared takes his hand in his and squeezes gently before running the pad of his thumb over Jensen’s palm. The soft pressure makes Jensen’s heart speed up. He looks down because sometimes looking at Jared is just too much. Jared’s voice is soft. “You haven’t always had nice people in your life.”

It’s not a question so Jensen doesn’t reply. His eyes flit to the money sitting on the table. “Is … is our date over?” he asks, eyes down. He tells himself it’s for the best. He got one date with an amazing guy and that’s one more than he ever thought he’d get.

A finger tilts his head back up. Jared’s lips tilt in a small smile. “Nope. Two things need to happen before this date can end.” Jensen looks at him puzzled. “First, I want to arrange for a second date.”

Jensen’s eyes open wide. “Y-you want … ?”

“Yes. Very much. If you do.”

“But, I barely said anything.” Jensen wants to shoot himself as soon as that comes out. What kind of a moron points out how boring he is when someone says they want to see them again.

Jared giggles. The sound is bright and airy and so adorable Jensen feels the warmth bone deep. “Jensen, you said just enough.” He squeezes Jensen’s hand again. “I like you, Jen. I like you a lot. I’d love to see you again. Keep getting to know you. Would that be okay?”

“Yeah. That would be okay.”

They sit and just smile at each other until a waiter picks up the check and someone starts bussing their table. Jensen’s about to get up when he remembers something. “You said two things need to happen before this date is over.”

Jared’s eyes are twinkling again. “I have to kiss you goodnight.”

Jensen’s eyes fly automatically to Jay’s full mouth and he licks his lips involuntarily. Since first seeing Jared in the Coffee Break a week ago he’s been sort of obsessing over that mouth. He wondered, frankly, if Jared could ever shut up enough to kiss him.

“Hey. I take offense to that.” Oh god. He’d spoke aloud. But Jared is smiling. “I like that you can tease me.” Jared stands up. “Let’s take this outside and see if I can stop talking.”

Jensen’s hand is held as he stands. He expects Jared to let go. But Jared doesn’t. He just lifts their joined hand in this happy little pump and walks them out.

**_fin_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: borgmama1of5 on LiveJournal


End file.
